If you have browsed our website, you may have picked up on the fact that there are many ways installing window film on your home or business windows will benefit you – and that we are passionate about bringing those benefits to business and home owners. This article is our opinion, based on decades of experience in the window film industry, about how all the benefits should be weighted in the decision process and hope that it will help make the decision about investing in window film easier for you.
I would say that the biggest benefit to adding tint to your windows is the improvement in energy efficiency. It’s the “dollars and cents” approach to benefits and will save energy, thus money, in the long run. Of course, the benefit of having a more energy efficient home involves several other cumulative benefits that result in a greener home, smaller carbon footprint and better energy efficiency.
One of the biggest sources of energy inefficiency in your home or business is the windows. In fact, according to studies performed by the Department of Energy, home windows account for 26% of total heating load in the winter and 32% of the cooling load in the summer. The biggest contributor to improving such a significant energy load at the lowest cost is adding window film. Because of window film’s ability to reduce that heat gain in the summer the air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to keep it comfortable, thus using less energy. Window film doesn’t stop working when the sun isn’t at its hottest either. Because window film has reflective properties, it helps reduce heat loss in the winter. That is a mind-blowing statement right there. It is incredible to think about that, a thin, almost invisible piece of window film can make such an impact in the comfort and energy use in your home or office. Let’s dive into the numbers to see exactly how much window film will affect the heat gain and heat loss in your home.
First off it is important to preface this with sharing that there are varying levels of performance that are linked with film type (you care because it affects the cost and appearance of the film). Typically, the darker the film, the better performance in reducing heat gain – but not always… It is also important to clarify that not every application has the same variables that are taken into consideration for overall performance and are different for every home, business, region, and exterior factors. What that means is the numbers I am throwing out at you should be used for comparison, and not expected to be the performance your home will experience.
For discussion purposes, I am going to go over our most popular film, Vista Mirage V38 dual-reflective. This is our most popular because in our region in Southern Colorado, it meets the needs of most homes for solar control and its subtle appearance. In terms of how “dark” the film is, it’s in the middle, allowing 39%* of light to pass through. Compare this to clear glass at 90%. The darkest dual-reflective films for residential applications only let 10% of the light through. It seems like adding film would make it feel like nighttime during the day, but it is more like wearing sunglasses, you adjust, hardly noticing the 51% reduction in visible light.
In terms of how much solar energy is rejected, installing Mirage gives you 57% heat reduction. That means that 57% of the heat that would be going through the glass is rejected. This is a very noticeable difference than plain glass which has 15% total solar energy rejection. In the winter when your home is heated by radiant heat from inside, Mirage will reduce that heat loss by 3%. Download the full Vista Window Film specifications below.
These are the main figures to crunch that pertain to the improvement of energy efficiency. But the best way to make an informed choice is to have us come to you to show you film samples, compare the performance levels to your specific needs. We offer free, no obligation in-home estimates. Call us to schedule yours.
Studies have been done to determine the return on investment or ROI of installing energy efficient window film. Again, there are many variables that determine the figure, most homeowners can expect a return in energy savings in about 5 years.
Adding any window film from Colorado Sun Control will eliminate 99% of ultraviolet light, the harmful rays from the sun that cause fading, dry rot, and skin cancer. Read more about the benefits of eliminating UV light.
What happens when you put on sunglasses on a bright day? The sun glare goes away… same effect of adding window film! Reduction of that annoying glare is another benefit of window film. We have an article about there here.
Raise your hand if you like your privacy… us too! Here is another one of those benefits that you may not have thought was important to you until you knew you could have it. Because window film has reflective properties, it does make it harder to see in your windows from the outside in the daylight. You can get mirrored films that give a one-way appearance, however, that is not a typical application for homes. The Mirage V38 films give the exterior of your windows a natural reflection that make it hard to see through but doesn’t look like there is anything there. Your windows will still have a “natural” appearance that only experts can usually detect.
Just like privacy, another unexpected benefit is security. Window films adhesives are made to last a lifetime and beyond and the film is made of strong polymers which keep glass intact if shattered. Some of us experienced broken windows from hail storms that made a mess! Dangerous glass everywhere! Not a problem with window film. Now window film won’t keep your windows from breaking (so no brick throwing contests), but in the event something causes the glass to break (a golf ball, hail stone, or robber) the glass will be held together by the window film. If you are serious about security, window films also come in varying strengths designed to keep thieves, vandals or terrorists from penetrating the glass. If this is you, let’s talk!
Last point of discussion on the benefits of adding window tint is style and beauty. Imagine the brightest and hottest rooms of your home becoming easy on the eyes and comfortable to be in any time of the day. Some instances to create style and beauty and cover unsightly views can be remedied using decorative films. The most popular is a frost that diffuses light while still allowing it to pass through. There are hundreds of decorative films that come in different patterns, textures and colors. Check out our film viewer to browse some different decorative film applications.
We are happy to provide you with all performance data and samples for each of the films that we install so you can see the numbers and determine the impact on your home or business. First step is to contact us to set up a time for your free consultation where we will provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision for your home or business. Call us today 719-473-0119. Or email jeff@cosuncontrol.com. We look forward to talking with you.
*all performance figures are based on single pane, 1/8 inch clear glass used for comparison purposes.
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